Some Fine Arts students worried they may get lost in the shuffle

By Brandy Entsminger

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

When Lindsay Elliott heard about the reorganization of the School of Fine Arts, she sent in an application to transfer to Florida State University.

Elliott, Overland Park junior, wanted a degree from a fine arts school, not from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. After the change, she wasn’t sure that’s what she was going to get.

“I don’t think I’ve heard the same thing twice,” Elliott said.

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Photo by Tyler Waugh

Michael Banks, Paola freshman, works on a design project dealing with split-complementary colors. Banks is a graphic design major and said that the reorganization of the School of Fine Arts would have benefits but would take some getting used to.

The School of Fine Arts announced in October that it planned to reorganize to become the School of the Arts by July 2009. The change will move some degrees, such as art and design, to new schools within the University. Since the announcement, some students are confused about how the changes will affect them.

After researching the split online, Elliott said she still didn’t have answers to the questions she had about her diploma. She said the information she received from her professors and adviser was inconsistent.

Lynn Bretz, director of University Communications, said the University decided not to work out all the details until the Board of Regents officially approved the change. She said the board would discuss the reorganization at its meeting this month and vote on the reorganization in January. Bretz said she thought the changes would have “minimum disruption to students” and would produce more benefits for students than problems.

But some students had concerns about the effect the reorganization would have on their degrees.

Elliott said she didn’t think a college degree would reflect the number of studio hours she had put in during her art classes. She said the degree wouldn’t look as prestigious to future employers because it wasn’t as specialized.

Anna Hoard, Topeka senior, who is a voice performance major, said she didn’t think the changes would affect her but that she hadn’t received much information about the changes.

Ann Sitzman, Prairie Village senior, is a theater design major. Although she will graduate before the reorganization is complete, she said she understood why people were upset.

When Sitzman first came to the University as a freshman, she said there was confusion about which school her theater design degree would come from.

She said people might be nervous because they didn’t know exactly what was happening with their degrees and were afraid they would be forgotten in the new schools.

“A lot of the students feel like they’re going to get lost,” Sitzman said.

Elliott said she would make her decision about transferring to Florida State after learning more about the changes and finding out whether she had been accepted at the school.

“I think that it’s worth it for the degree,” Elliott said.

— — Edited by Lauren Keith

Comments

easytiger86 (anonymous) says...

I don't blame students for worrying. As a student in the School of Fine Arts, I have been told wrong/conflicting information countless times, as well as been ignored for long periods of time. I even petitioned something per my advisor's advice (which went through!!!), only to be told later that it was incorrect and could pose graduation problems. If this reorganization means students might actually get some help, then I'm all for it...I just hope that's the case!!!

December 2, 2008 at 12:42 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

sjschlag (anonymous) says...

This "re-organization" only benefits the department of music. They can finally hire a dean that doesn't have to worry about what goes on in the art and design building, which makes things alot easier for them. Their funding gets streamlined, they can focus on the goals of their department and can seek out donations much easier now that they don't have to drag the department of art and department of design along with them.

The art and design school should not be "given" to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the School of Architecture. It too should stand on its own. The School of Art and Design would be large enough to stand on its own, and hopefully with a knowledgeable and enthusiastic dean, funding could be sought out from alumni. The school would be allowed to continue levying differential tuition to pay for improvements to the various programs around the art and design building. It would certainly be much better than neglect as part of the School of Architecture.

December 3, 2008 at 10:53 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

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